Ghana Empire
-Ghana was a kingdom in the 700s
-Became rich by taxing the goods that traders carried through their territory
-In 800 Ghana became an empire
-King could demand taxes and gifts from chiefs of surrounding areas
-Only the king had the right to own gold nuggets but gold dust still circulated in the trade
-Ghana's African Rulers acted as a religious leader, chief judge, and military leader
-By the end of the 11th century Ghana's rulers converted to Islam
-Muslim advisers helped run the kingdom
-In 1076 Muslim Almoravids of North Africa completed their conquest of Ghana
-Disrupted gold-salt trade and Ghana never regained power
-Became rich by taxing the goods that traders carried through their territory
-In 800 Ghana became an empire
-King could demand taxes and gifts from chiefs of surrounding areas
-Only the king had the right to own gold nuggets but gold dust still circulated in the trade
-Ghana's African Rulers acted as a religious leader, chief judge, and military leader
-By the end of the 11th century Ghana's rulers converted to Islam
-Muslim advisers helped run the kingdom
-In 1076 Muslim Almoravids of North Africa completed their conquest of Ghana
-Disrupted gold-salt trade and Ghana never regained power
Mali Empire
-Kingdom emerged in 1235
-Founders were Mande-speaking people, who lived in S. Ghana
-Wealth was built on Gold
-Sundiata was Mali's first great leader and came to power by crushing an unpopular leader
-Was a great leader in peace and war
-promoted agriculture and re-established gold-salt trade
-died in 1255
-Mansa Musa was a Muslim ruler who might have been Sundiata's grandnephew; ruled from 1312 to 1332
-Turmoil in Mali caused there to be 7 different rulers in 50 years
-Founders were Mande-speaking people, who lived in S. Ghana
-Wealth was built on Gold
-Sundiata was Mali's first great leader and came to power by crushing an unpopular leader
-Was a great leader in peace and war
-promoted agriculture and re-established gold-salt trade
-died in 1255
-Mansa Musa was a Muslim ruler who might have been Sundiata's grandnephew; ruled from 1312 to 1332
-Turmoil in Mali caused there to be 7 different rulers in 50 years